I might’ve screwed up my tele body

Time to look at a solid color finish. (Antique White is nice).

 

Paint it a solid color, fixes all stain mishaps.

 

Welcome to TDPRI ... paint it black ?

 

can't you give it a good sanding to remove most of it?.....

 

Stain is usually always a mistake in my experience. Sanding it off will probably actually change the shape and dimensions of the body.
As mentioned above, it probably is just best to go with a solid color.

 

yep let it get good and dry, and paint it solid color

 

Stain problems usually stem from prep issues. You could use a citrus stripper to extract as much as possible, then sand it out. If you can get it cleaned up, then make sure you go through the necessary steps with grain filler or sanding sealer, depending on the wood.

Or, you could spray it your favorite color.

 

Did I miss it or are a couple very important questions still unasked/unanswered:
1) What kind of wood is it?
2) What kind of stain did you use?

I don't think any good advice can be given to actually fix your problem without knowing these things.
Other than "go to a solid color", which has been offered, but then it won't look like the Boss's which is what you want. But I think you could have easily achieve that look just by adding some tints to your topcoats on the raw or "sanding sealed" wood.

Anyway - all may not be lost. Follow up with the answers to the above and folks can help you better.

Cheers,
Rex

EDIT - And post some pictures of before and after the stain and bleach and everything - that'll help too

 

Any time you're planning to stain any wood, there are two rules to follow.

1. Practice on Scrap Wood.

2. Read Rule #1.


What body did you start with? It may have had sanding sealer or some other coating on the wood even if it looked like bare wood. This is the primary reason for wood stains to go on blotchy looking because the sealer prevents the stain from penetrating the wood in certain areas.

 

Pics would be nice.

 

I would agree that Stain is a bad idea, and nitrocellulose lacquer produces better results.

 

What happens when you mist it with water? That would give you an indication of what a clear finish would look like. From there you can see how even it will be. It would be a shame to cover up that grain pattern IMHO.

 

Now that is a lovely piece of wood.

It may not be any consolation to you, but you are far from being the first person that a finish has gone wrong for. Fortunately, there are many people here who will help you step by step if you need it.

As Dumbledore told Harry Potter when he was making his first guitar, "Help will always be given at TDPRI to those who ask for it."

 

Hello Chief welcome to TDPRI.
That body has some nice grain to it. I don't know offhand what a stripper would do to it, but I would try one before going to a solid color.
Good luck.

 

The problem that you have now is all that dark pigment is down in the grain, Unless you plan to throw in the towel and paint it a solid color, you're best bet is to go with our original plan and stain it again. Sand the top and back with 220 grit paper using a sanding block and the sides with sandpaper wrapped around a short length of rubber hose or similar "soft" backer. Don't try to get all the old stain out, just try to get a uniform color in the wood and amount of grain showing black/brown.

I would suggest using a Minwax Stain and treat the body with their pre-stain conditioner before hand for more even results. You can also spray the body with a light mist coat of clear lacquer or vinyl sanding sealer and then lightly sand the body before applying the stain. This will control the depth of the stain's penetration and prevent open and end grain areas from "blocking" (absorbing too much stain and forming dark blotches).

A lot of people think the stain is made to be loaded on and then all wiped off. It doesn't work that way regardless of what it says on the can. When they say wipe the stain on, let it sit and wipe off the excess, the stain has already begun to dry and it's too late to get an even finish. Wipe the stain on in the direction of the grain like you are wiping the dust from a dresser top. Make smooth, straight, slightly overlapping strokes from one end to the other. On the rim of the body, wipe all the way around finishing at the neck pocket corners. While the stain is still wet, turn your cloth so you are wiping with the cloth still dampened with stain (not dry and clean) with a feathering touch going from end to end until you have an even coat. Your downward pressure will determine how light or dark the finish will be based upon how much stain you wipe off or leave in place. This allows you additional control in getting an evenly stained appearance. Then let it dry.

The stain will soak into the wood and will not look like it is painted unless you over apply and leave puddles. You will be amazed at the difference and your body won't look like you just smeared mud on it and tried to wipe it off like most 1st timers.

After drying a couple days, you can apply the finish of your choice. Danish oil, Tung oil, TruOil, Lacquer or Polyurethane. For a novice, the Danish and Tung oil finishes or the wipe-on polyurethanes in satin are the most forgiving of inexperience. The polyurethane will give the most protection, but the Danish and Tung Oil can be easily reapplied if the body gets scratched. Lightly sand the scratch, wipe on some stain and then work the oil finish into the damaged area.

TruOil can get you to a semi-gloss finish with multiple coats followed by steel wool burnishing and and buffing with polishing compound or their own rubbing compound. Touch up is the same as above plus buffing if you opted for a semi-gloss finish.